Science

Think more deeply about the world around you.

Through a broad and deep range of course offerings, the Science Department seeks to kindle a passion for the study of science and to address the needs and interests of all students. Laboratory experiments, hands-on activities, and computer simulations challenge them to problem solve, analyze, discover, and understand the fundamental principles of nature. This understanding empowers students to contribute to an increasingly technological society while gaining confidence in their own abilities.

We offer core courses in biology, chemistry, and physics along with many other enriching courses beyond those subjects, including Forensic Science, Astronomy, Comparative Anatomy, and Ecology.

Our Advanced Biology courses — Cell Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, and Genetics — along with other advanced and college-level courses, such as Organic Chemistry I and II and Astrophysics, are signature features of our curriculum.

Guided Research Projects enable interested students to conduct highly focused scientific investigations in a college research-like setting.

Key Highlights

Every class builds scientific literacy to help students understand and analyze science-based social issues and claims made in the media.
Those who have or find a passion for science can build all the skills and knowledge they need to learn and work at the highest levels.
We have outstanding lab facilities that we are upgrading and improving continuously.
We have a large array of classes for students to pursue their interests.

Featured Courses

CL Guided Research Projects in Molecular Biology

This Guided Research Project is a full yearlong course for students who have completed the graduation requirements for science, and those with an interest in the biological and biomedical sciences, to engage in sustained, significant, mentored scientific research. In this capstone class, students conduct authentic research in molecular biology, and with guidance, design their own research question using an established model system for that experimental work. Projects involve sustained skill acquisition and the development of rigorous scientific methodology; they also require the student to master experimental techniques that go beyond the traditional science department curriculum. Students maintain a research quality notebook and document their results in either extended lab report or scientific poster format, and they present their research findings to an audience at the end of the school year. Acceptance into the Guided Research Project is a competitive process and interested students are required to complete a written application.

CL Organic Chemistry II

This term course is a continuation of the first term of CL Organic Chemistry with an emphasis on instrumental analyses such as infrared (IR) spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. More complex organic reactions such as nucleophilic substitution of the carbonyl group, esterification reactions, formation of enols and enolates, multistep synthesis reactions, and retrosynthesis are explored in this second term of organic chemistry.

Students conclude the spring term by executing a project in which they come up with a novel way to synthesize an organic molecule of their choice. This class involves significant lab work and use of peer-reviewed scientific journals.

AI and Climate: Promise and Price

This course examines AI as both environmental challenge and potential solution. We'll begin by establishing a shared understanding of what we mean when we talk about AI, as well as defining climate change and climate science. Students investigate the material costs of AI systems — energy consumption of training large models, datacenter water usage, rare earth mineral extraction — while also exploring AI applications in climate modeling, renewable energy optimization, and conservation. We'll learn by doing, gaining some practical knowledge of how to leverage these systems for good (including in our own work!) while also being clear about where they fall short. Students will engage with projects that might include calculating the carbon footprint of our own AI usage, analyzing real datacenter environmental impact reports, evaluating whether AI-driven climate solutions justify their environmental costs, among other research opportunities. The course pushes students beyond tech optimism and doomerism to understand complex tradeoffs in our response to climate change.